On 13th December 2023, NHS England published its strategy to shape the future delivery of NHS vaccination services.
Vaccination saves lives and protects health. England has historically performed well on vaccination, however there is room to improve, for example to address a 10-year decline in pre-school immunisation coverage and significant disparities and inequalities in uptake. There is also a need to bring the model for COVID-19 vaccination alongside other programmes, ensure we are prepared to respond to new infectious diseases, and respond to changes in how vaccines are made and supplied (eg. combination vaccines).
Our latest snapshot provides a summary of the strategy:
CF Snapshot Click to enlarge
The future approach to vaccination will focus on outcomes, reducing morbidity and mortality by focusing on uptake and coverage. This requires building on what has worked well and doing more to reach those who are currently underserved.
The strategy sets out 3 priorities to develop vaccination services which are:
1. High quality, convenient to access and tailored to the needs of local people
2. Supplemented by targeted outreach to increase uptake in underserved populations
3. Delivered in a joined-up way by integrated teams, working across the NHS and other organisations, to improve patient experience and deliver value for money
The strategy also sets out how systems will collaboratively deliver through:
- Strong system leadership
- A new commissioning and financial framework
- An Integrated, flexible, skilled workforce
- Timely and accurate data
- Efficient, responsive supply
- Outbreak response capability
Click here to see the full report.
